Shifting Tides
by RyoHamfu
Summary: 10% Memory Recovered 55% Memory Recovered 99% Memory Recovered Loading... Failed Save, Please try aga- "I refuse." "But after everything you've been through, wouldn't you want to know the truth?" "I've known the truth, I just never wanted to admit to it. After all, we all appreciate living a beautiful lie, rather than the (First Assassin's Creed story, hope you enjoy)
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Finally uploaded this, I'll be editing this bit by bit throughout the week, so don't be surprised if it's completely changed. Anywho, enjoy :"")

Edit: I have completed editing the first section :"")

Edit 2: And part 2 has been edited :"") Currently working on Part 3

Edit 3: C'est fin :") Time to get rid of typos

Edit 4: And done! ˆˆ

* * *

 _Memory Loading..._

 _Load complete._

* * *

Feet slammed against the stone pathway, as cries echoed across the walls of the bustling streets. People were shoved aside as the guards chased down a hooded figure in black. The figure was slender and tall, it's gender was very hard to identify with how baggy the clothing was, hiding away any possible hints.

Eyes darting around for an escape, the female cursed under her breath as she decided to follow her gut and take a left, barely dodging a woman carrying rather heavy and expensive looking pots. The female enjoyed the thrill, however the heat was starting to affect her movement, making her agile steps much sloppier than usual. The dark fabric that hid her identity was not exactly helping either, as the sun's usually warm rays soaked into the semi-thick fabric.

Bitting back a frustrated yell, the female came into contact with a dead end, cursing at her luck, as the heavy footsteps of the armed guards approached her, "Over there! I found them!", almost yelping in surprise at how close they were, the female shifted around uneasily, trying to find an escape.

The heaven's finally answered her silent prayers, as she noticed a rod jutting out of one of the walls, it was low enough for her to grab a hold off, to which she instinctively moved to do. Crouching down, the female focused her strength into her hind limbs before leaping upwards, her hands latching firmly onto the the metal like material. With a shake of her head, she feebly attempted to stable her beating heart, as she released a heavy breath; pulling herself onto the roof that was just an arms length away.

Luck was surely on her side as she had made it onto the structure in time, soldiers crowding around the area she was just standing in. "Where are they?!" , "They couldn't have gone far!", mummering passed through the group as the female laid flat against her back on the roof, using the semi small wall to hide her presence, as she tried to regain some of her lost stamina.

A mischievous smirk spread across her face as soon as she felt her body crack back into place, as if the aching from all the running never existed, what an uncanny trait to have. Shooting up, her movements must've caused her heavy outfit to rustle rather loudly, as a guard turned to look up at her, shock spreading across his features as he realised she had outsmarted them, but just as the male was about to shout out to his allies, the female laughed boisterously, a jeer engraved onto her hidden features.

"You tried, I'll give you that. However, a measly animal of the Earth, can never outsmart an entity of the sky!" , the soldiers were flabbergasted as they realised she was in fact, a she. Turning on her heel, she leaped forward, onto another building, her smile never leaving her face, "You may try! But you will never succeed."

Riling up the guards was one of the best feelings she's ever had, her sharp canine jutted out from her wry grin, as she began running from building to building,the guards feebly attempted to chase after, but in a matter of minutes she had lost them, causing her to laugh rather loudly when she heard their head officer scold them for letting a 'lowly peasant' get away with such an attitude.

From a afar, golden eyes observed the scene like an Eagle would when it hunted it's pray. Breathing out through his nose, the hooded male stood up. "I have finally found you, Falcon of Damascus."

* * *

Fists clenched, the female stormed through the rather large home, her expression etched with anger and frustration, though behind it all was another emotion. Head poking through the entrance of a study, the female strode in the moment she saw the person she had been looking for.

Sitting at the large desk was a handsome well-built male with a prominent and chiseled jawline, eyes a warm and welcoming shade of brown, while his short and messy midnight locks only added to his charismatic appearance. His gaze shot up from all the scattered papers he had been working on the moment he felt an uneasy presence, his mouth gaped slightly when he noticed his furious and bristling sister.

The girl seemed rather out of it; her usually straight light brown tresses, were frazzled and sprayed across her shoulder's messily, rather than being in a neat ponytail. Her hazel green eyes seemed to dart around in a somewhat panicked manner, her tan skin somewhat drained of it's naturally sun kissed colour. Overall, it seemed like she had run into a ghost of some sort, and it didn't help with the way her expressions kept shifting in between anger and fear.

Darting out of his seat, the male looked at his younger sister, concern enveloping his warm hues.

"It's Lashay."

The male's expression immediately dropped as the colour drained from his face, his sister's tone was cold and harsh, yet her expression spoke otherwise. Tilting his head, he gestured for her to carry on.

"That child does not know when to not interfere with other's problems!", the brunette sneered while the male huffed and shook his head, "Hawa, what exactly did she do to enrage you?", swallowing a breath of air, the female continued, "She..Lashay saved someone." The raven haired male blinked in confusion, "But what is so bad about that? Isn't that a good thing Hawa?"

Something within the female snapped as her eyes burned in outrage,"Asim! She could've died! She got in a fight with the guards and not just the normal city guards it was them.." Asim's breathing immediately hitched as he grabbed Hawa by the shoulder, "Are you sure?! They cannot find her. I promised fath-"

Suddenly pausing mid sentence, he brought a finger to his lips, as a gesture to tell his sister to remain silent. From upstairs, a soft thud of footsteps could be heard, causing him to nod to at his sister and speak in a hushed voice, "We will discuss this later, for now we must speak with Lashay."

Nodding back in understanding the female turned away and marched away to call her younger sister from the safety of her room.

* * *

Eyes weary, she checked her surroundings one last time before slipping though her bedroom window, which was thankfully large enough for her lanky figure to slide through. Landing with a light thud, the female released a heavy sigh, muttering to herself, "Another day, another victory I guess..", Removing her long black cape, she neatly folded it and set it onto her bed, for later use as she began to strip off the rest of her dark outfit.

Removing the vine red sash along with emblem that sat in the middle of it, she couldn't help but to admire the strange design. It looked much like an upside down 'v' with a curve connecting it at the bottom. In the centre was a circular design, which if she remembered correctly referred to an old legend about two beings of balance of sorts.

The crest was something that represented her family in a sense, but no one ever told her the true meaning to which she shrugged off, honestly not caring. Removing the leather gauntlets on her arms, she unlatched the short sword from it's position on her waist and kept it safely on a shelf, while a few hidden throwing knives were stashed away in various locations. She pulled off her tan boots, giving her feet the much needed freedom it pleaded for.

Just as she went to discard the robe, a light knock resounded through her room, startling her slightly, "Lashay, come downstairs immediately." Her older sister's voice seemed hoarse as if she had been yelling, causing the girl to grow worried for the older woman's sake. Quickly pulling off the dark robe, she was left in a white loose undershirt and black trousers that were tailored to fit her figure, slipping on a pair of sandals, the girl quickly tied her hair up into a messy bun with a ribbon she had found on her vanity.

Moving towards the door, a swarm of emotions clouded her thoughts as she looked down at the door knob, unsure on what she must do, "I have nothing to fear.", is what she told herself before pushing the door open, a new feeling burning through her veins. Closing the door behind her softly, her body directed her to the small staircase that led downstairs. With the smell of burning essences still fresh in the air, the female descended from the said stairs and quickly jogged towards her brother's study, her expression calm and unyielding.

* * *

"Brother? Sister?"

The said sibling looked up at their youngest sibling, as she fiddled with her hand's nervously, probably from the fear of being punished. Hey icy eyes seemed to be looking everywhere yet except at them, however her posture and her aura were polar opposites and they knew that. Though she looked frail and nervous, she was just waiting for someone to pick a fight with her, to which she'd respond with an almost bone-breaking amount of strength.

Lashay was nothing like her siblings, she wasn't tan, nor did she have their signature dark coloured features, in fact she was the polar opposite. A pale complexion that seemed to glow in any sort of lighting, icy blue hues that held such strong emotions that seemed almost endless, to top off her already foreign appearance, she had platinum blonde hair which had a mind of its own, doing whatever it pleased on different days.

Taking in a deep breath, Asim began, "Lashay, we need to talk.", nodding her head the female awaited what her brother and to say, however is seemed the male was at a loss for words, not knowing exactly what to say, but it seems that Hawa had other plans. Marching towards her sister, she lifted her hand as if making the motion to slap her, to which Lashay instinctively closed her eyes, awaiting the stinging sensation.

But it never came.

Peeking an eye open, she saw her sister's hand trembling, her expression faltering as tears threatened to spill. The blonde female stared in shock, her usually strong and bold elder sister was breaking down in front of her, causing her to wander what it was that Asim was really trying to tell her. Alas, before she got the chance to ask, Hawa threw herself at her, nearly knocking the younger girl off of her feet from the sudden impact.

"Ya Allah, Lashay! You could've died, you irresponsible idiot!" Her sister chocked out, causing the pale female to finally realise what this was about; her antics earlier today. Her brother walked over to them, his smile not reaching his eyes as he spoke, "Lashay, you may have chosen to be the silent vigilante of Damascus, however you still have us to worry about all the stunts your try to pull while saving another's life. But my little one, your life is just as precious. Today you could've ended up dead at the hand of those guards." Enveloping them into a group hug, the trio remained silent, before Lashay decided to finally speak up,

"Forgive me for my insolence, brother, sister. But I cannot just stand by when I know someone's in trouble."

Hawa nodded in understanding with a slight smile, "We know, little one. But please do be careful.", the younger female nodded her head obediently to which the brunette smiled gently to before speaking up softly, "You should go change, we have a performance tonight." The younger left her two sibling wordlessly after silently agreeing.

Turning to face one another, Hawa wiped away her tears to which her brother sighed, "Hawa, if they are after her, doesn't that mean-?", cutting her brother off, she gave him a look which clearly told him to shut up. "They already have one of their kind prowling the streets. He will surely invite her to join them and for her own good, I hope she agrees.

They are after all, the only ones who can help her now."

* * *

Slamming the door behind her, Lashay sighed in aggravation as she went searching for her outfit, "I am clearly not a child anymore." Multiple outfits were tossed out of the chest that she had kept them in as grumbled under her breath, before she suddenly paused. "Why do I have this feeling they are all but hiding something from me..?" Wordlessly, she immediately dropped the topic. How could she not have faith in her own kin? Was she that untrusting? Whatever it was to bring her to such thoughts was most definitely unsettling.

Standing form her position, finally setting on a white outfit, she laughed at the ironic thought that crossed her mind, "By day a mysterious shadow, but by night a white angel.", patting herself for such a silly thought, she began changing into the well crafted outfit, golden lining of embroidery glittered with the sunlight , the white satin like fabric was as sooth as silk.

But it seemed her senses thought otherwise as her body tensed and refused to move, as if telling her there was danger nearby, just as she had went to remove her shirt. Narrowing her eyes, she loudly called out to her sibling who was also most probably changing in the room beside her own, "Hawa! I think I'll go on ahead. I will meet you at our tent, alright?", hearing a muffled 'okay' from across the wall, the female quickly took her change of clothes and stuffed them into leather sling back, hastily throwing it over her shoulder while she slipped on another pair of sandals, stealthily climbing out her window and onto the roof.

Her head darted around as she tried to find the presence that was seemingly spying on her, however all she saw was flashes of white, which only added to her bits of growing fear. Deep down inside she wished to call out to this person, but her gut told her to run for the hills, so she decided to go with the latter, before leaping from building to building, trying to reach her destination before whatever it is that was watching her caught her in the open.

The pounding of her heart only seemed to grow louder with every step she took, as she came to realise that there was in fact, light footsteps trailing after her. Whoever it was that was tailing her, was definitely experienced in this kind of thing, however Lashay had the upper hand with her sensitive hearing, to which she smirked slightly at.

But it seemed Lady Luck decided that Shay's cockiness was getting a bit over bearing, thus causing the girl to stumble when her foot got caught between a small gap on the roof of a building. The female nearly screeched when she felt someone grab her from behind, but instead chose to silently struggle, since she knew no one could help her from this height.

"Calm yourself. I come in peace."

The person behind her smelt strongly of different spices and herbs, but her nose picked up the faint scent of sweat and blood, causing her body to immediately relax. In fear of what this man would do to her while she was unarmed. Grunting slightly, the male set her down, causing the female to whip around to identify her captor, only to come eye to eye with a man she had never seen before in her entire life.

He was handsome, at least from what she could see from under his cowl. Golden eyes seemingly piercing through her soul. He had a rather similar looking outfit to the one she wore, however the colours of his own were much different. Though what stood out the most to her was the emblem he bore. Not many knew it, but Shay was one of the few who did.

This man was an assassin.

Narrowing her eyes, Lashay spat, "In peace, huh? Says the man who nearly tackled me from behind? And i can assume you are also the one who has been watching me." The man's expression seemingly soured at her words, his eyes glinting sharply, "I would not speak to an armed person like that if I were you." , the female nearly growled, but her eyes lit up the moment she realised something, "But doesn't your supposed creed prevent you from using your blade on or against the flesh of an innocent?"

The man looked down at her, though his expression was passive, his eyes held how flabbergasted he was, how could such a girl like her know the creed? Shaking away from his thought he quickly took out the note that sat safely on his belt, handing it to the girl, who blinked in confusion.

"As you clearly already know," he started out harshly, "I am an assassin from Masyaf. I was sent by Al Mualim to deliver this message to you personally and to invite you to join the Brotherhood." The female looked up at the eagle eyed male silently, waiting for him to continue, "I do not expect your answer immediately, but you will have a few days to yourself to decide. I will be here in Damascus until you give me your answer. Do not even think of leaving until you give me your reply." Lashay nodded her head firmly, causing the Assassin's to 'hmmph' and turn away, moving to jump off the building.

Clenching her fist, Lashay called out to the man, "I do not know your name, how will you expect me to find you?" The man paused before he turned to the girl, a smirk etched into his face, "I'll give you a hint, Lashay, my name means Eagle. You are surely smart enough to find the answer I assume, after all I don't think you'd be called the nobel Falcon of Damascus for nothing."Turning away, he raised his hand as if to bid her goodbye, "Safety and peace to you, Shay. You better put up a good show tonight, by the way."

The blonde watched in shock as the male leaped off of the building, practically vanishing into thin air, causing the female to release a breath she didn't know she held. Looking over at the letter, she couldn't help but feel mixed feelings. The brotherhood could surely offer her the life of adventure she craved for, however she still had a duty to her family.

Sighing softly the female shook her head before safely storing the note away,

"May Allah guide me through these crossroads.."

* * *

Finally arriving at the camp where she would be performing, her sister who was already dressed came rushing out of the tent, dragging the semi-tired girl back into the said tent. "Shay! You aren't even dressed! Quickly, I will be performing soon, so please just..be ready, okay?", hastily leaving the tent giving Lashay her much needed privacy, the girl quickly tore open her bag and began changing into her other outfit as fast as she possibly could.

Thankfully the costume she wore had shorts underneath, after all the time she'd been dancing, she's encountered quite a few idiots who would try to peek up her skirt while she was onstage, thus leading to her wearing clothes tailored with excess fabric to act like pants below it to hide away anything those peeping toms would possibly want to see.

Looking at the mirror, she quickly lined her eyes thickly, not really caring for any other extra make up as she had on her golden accessories which greatly complimented her outfit. While fiddling with her earrings, her brother had silently entered the tent form behind, moving to call her, but stopped himself when he realised how she struggled with the piece of jewlry. Chuckling lowly, he moved to help her, causing the said girl to sigh in relief, she was just about done with that thing.

Standing up straight, the female performed a twirl to which her brother clapped approvingly to, the male looked at her with a soft expression before he set a hand on her shoulder, his face growing serious, "Lashay, no matter what you choose in life, know that your sister and I will always love you."

A warm feeling spread through her heart as she felt the genuine love her sibling had for her, causing the female to smile and nod meekly, " I understand brother.", the male let go of her and smiled encouragingly, "Go knock them dead, Shay."

"Will do brother."

Exiting the tent, the female climbed the makeshift stage as her performance was announced, her icy eyes glinting with fiery passion as she got into position. Gazing over at the crowd, she noticed a certain man in white watching from his perch on the wall, causing the female to smile slightly and mouth to him, to which if she was close enough she would realise that his expression grew from passive to shocked in mere seconds.

"Altaïr."

* * *

 _File corrupted_

 _Try Again?_

"This better be worth my time."

 ** _"Oh it will be, dear child. It'll be worth every penny you've ever owned."_**


	2. Chapter 2

Through the darkness lit up a lone spotlight, shinning directly on a tiny stage where a polished mahogany vanity sat perched upon, a small cushion stool before it occupied by a female who stared vacantly into the mirror. Well groomed hair decorated with ornaments of all kind, skin pale and smooth like silk, eyes large and wide with wonder and pale pink lips drawn to perfectly fit her petite face.

The perfect glass doll.

Flinched, the doll had flinched as if it were pinched. Curious eyes glanced around in shock, as her tiny lips drew open in shock.

Knew, the doll knew. This wasn't real, or rather, this wasn't where she was supposed to be.

* * *

 _Experiencing minor casualties,_

 _Request to shut down has been input._

* * *

She flailed and kicked, or at least she tried. Her body was unresponsive, numbed out by the darkness that surrounded. Fear; she was afraid, but at the same time she wasn't. Such an inquisitive thought. Without realising it, her right hand began to lift upwards towards the mirror, as if a force of some sort was bringing her to do so. Switching her gaze to her limb, she followed it to the reflection that once mimicked her every move, only to notice it in fact, was gone.

Whatever held it's possession on her seemed to let go as she managed to stumble out of the stool, which fell into waiting arms of the darkness, never to be seen again. Weakly pulling herself upward, the female stared at the mirror, trying to figure it out.

"A good doll."

She froze.

A good doll was one that sat there and looked pretty for it's master. Never questioning a single thing he or she did to them. They were a play thing, obedient and humble. They had no emotion, they weren't supposed to do. A good doll would've sat still in that chair and waited for their master's command.

She wasn't a good doll.

She didn't sit there, she fought against her master's orders, simply because she was curious. She was a bad doll, one that sought answers when she was clearly told not to, one that wanted to be free from her restraints to dance and play, to feel the breeze through her well groomed hair.

She wasn't a bad doll, no. She wasn't even a doll.

She was a free being, she was **f r e e.**

* * *

 _Subject is malfunctioning,_

 _Command to immediately pull subject out has been input._

* * *

Her hands they shook, they shook with an unexplainable thrill. Freedom. A foreign word, a word she could get used. Dainty lips pulled up into a malicious smile. Out, she wanted out. This was not where she wanted be, and this is where she wouldn't be. Raising her right hand, which was now clenched into a fist, a single thought shot through her dull mind.

 _I want to be free_

Before she smashed the mirror.

* * *

"Raven!"

 _Subject has been successfully pulled out._

" **For now**."

* * *

Voices, a cacophony of voices spread through her pounding head. A grunt escaped her parched lips as her blurry gaze tried to regain her bearings. This was her room, right? As another much louder pained groan was released, the voices grew hushed, a figure rushing to her side. "You're awake, thanks whatever holy being is up there." Male, the voice that was talking to her was male, very familiar sounding too. "Tubais..?" Her voice was scratchy from the lack of water, the name that slipped out seemed to be the said male's name as he latched onto her left forearm. "I'm here, Big T is here for you."

Pushing herself upwards the female gripped onto her aching mind, as her brother handed her a glass of water, and a tiny capsule which she assumed was a pain killer. With shaky hands, she took it with a weak but grateful smile.

The male beside her seemed to being eyeing her with a large amount of worry. "This isn't right.." The male muttered softly as she stared at his sister, she was more boney looking than ever, her pale skin seemed almost paper white, icy eyes glazed over and distant, her once short tidy locks was slightly longer and much more tasseled than usual.

"What happened to you, Raven?", said girl shot up and looked at the male in confusion, "What do you mean..?" Tubais bit his lower lip and gestured to strange chair like contraption that was off to the side, "You..Your sister and I left for 2 weeks for work and we suddenly get news that no one has seen you come outside ever since we left and when we called you, you never picked up. Soon all your friends were sending us emails and messages asking if you were okay and when we said we had no idea, your crazy group thought it was a great idea to break into the house to check on you." Swallowing thickly, the male looked at his shock stricken sister.

"They found you hooked onto your animus, the chair over there. You were playing some game but.." The female shot him a look, urging him to carry on, "There was a fault. You were trapped in the game, your memories of reality were wiped the longer you were in there, to the point you completely forgot about the outside world. There was a disconnect button but..it was jammed. Your friends they tried desperately to get you out but it didn't work. They had to call in professional help while Jess and I took the next flight back here. Only to find you admitted in the hospital in critical condition."

The female blinked at the male, "Hospital..? Than how am I-?" The male shrugged, "They said you could be discharged and that you'd wake up in a day or two..Jess insisted you stay under medical supervision but they refused to keep you there, saying it was unnecessary. " Getting up the male sighed, "Well at least we have you back in the land of the living, Ray. Get some rest and if you need something, just call for me or Jess. Your friends will be coming over soon and they're probably going to lecture your ass off, so get all her best you possibly can, ya weeb." Moving toward the doorway, the male smiled softly at the slightly dazed girl, "Sleep well, Ray."

She nodded meekly, "I will, Big T.."

With a flip of a switch, the room was dark and her brother was gone.

Pushing herself back onto the cold sheets, she snuggled deeper into them, her mind twisting with question. A fault in the machine? What bullshit is that. She didn't believe that theory one bit, the entire story was semi believable, but she didn't understand the way the hospital treated her. Isn't it standard procedure to care for patients until they are strong enough to leave? Her sibling wouldn't purposely pull her out for no reason at all. And these friends..why couldn't she remember them? Or their faces? Their names?

 **"You haven't met them."**

Her eyes widened in shock, as her eyes fearfully darted around, someone was there with her.

 **"Or well you haven't befriended them, but that will all be in due time, dear little black bird."**

Her breathing hitched, this voice, it had an accent to it, one that was familiar but seemed so distant and faded, like a lost memory.

 **"A little too smart now aren't you, Raven. Or should I say, Lashay?"**

A gasp fell across the silent, still room. That name, whose name was that? Was it hers? Impossible, yet it seemed extremely possible.

 **"The world is too complicated for you to comprehend just yet, Guardian. Sleep and let the memories return to you."**

And sleep she did.

* * *

 _Initiating sequence_

 _Sending subject back into program_

 _Load complete_

* * *

Lights, the smell of burning oil lamps hit her nose as she shot out of her trance like state, she was back in her tent, a sense of deja vu flying over her. Blinking, she looked down at her outfit, she hand changed back into her normal clothing, meaning her performance was over. How odd, she thought, why does everything feel like a blur? Her thoughts would have to surely wait, since her stomach was growling like a wild beast, "Oh shush you.." she grumbled, annoyed her stomach was deciding to nag her at such a crucial point in her life.

However, she would agree with the monstrous screams of her stomach. Camps like these had foods that were worthy of the Gods above. Being the good person she is, she stood up and twirled around, ready to join the festivities, an eager smile stretched across her face.

Slipping out of her tent stealthily, she spotted her sister sitting with the chiefs eldest son, Emir, causing her to snort. She always knew Hawa had a special soft spot for these beduins in general, simply because she had the biggest crush on the handsome man. Turning her head, she spotted Asim sitting not too far away with all the children, possibly telling them a story of sorts, the children listening intently.

Her siblings seemed to fit in so well, the feeling of envy stabbed at her heart as she looked down sadly at the ever shifting sands. How she wished to feel normal, without the constant pestering and teasing, a simple life to where she could settle down and be happy. "But,I wouldn't be where I am now, now would I?" is what she whispered to herself, a smile spreading across her face as she leaned against the large crates behind her.

"Will you not join them?"

Her attention snapped to the silent assassin that appeared by her side, like a shadow that seemed to follow her. She nodded slowly, "I will, but I'd rather have this moment to myself." The male didn't respond, to which the female sighed too. A difficult man, but she would work her way up there. She saw him as a challenge and her goal was simple, to make a friend out of the man.

A distant smile grew as her eyes glinted with the flies of the large campfire.

He watched her, admiring how she enjoyed such a simple life, or at least pretended too. A secret, such a girl must hold a secret.

"Your decision." He grunted suddenly, causing the female to snap over to him in confusion, "Have you made up your mind yet? Or do you need time?"

The female simply let her grin grow as turned around to face him fully,

"I accept the Brotherhood's request, Altaïr."

A simple, but somehow heartwarming exchange between two vigilantes, but nothing good can ever remain.

 **"Tick tock, Guardian. Time is forever changing, and so are _you_."**

* * *

 **A/N:** Still needs to be edited but damn, this is definitely an improvement compared to the original Chapter 2 :D Enjoy 3


	3. Chapter 3

As the glowing embers of the large flame die down, so does the festivities. The travellers grew wary, voices hushed as whispers of encouragement to rise and head to bed was spread around. Children of the camp would reluctantly groan as they feebly shuffled away to shelter, couples held their partners hands, heading away to find protection from the bitter cold of the desert's fury.

As silence enveloped the area, Lashay shifted uneasily in the soft makeshift bed ; Hawa and Asim had yet to come back, saying that they wished to speak with the head of this beduin tribe. The icy eyed female snorted as a thought crossed her mind, 'I wouldn't be surprised if Asim's trying to convince the chief to let Hawa marry his son. Those two are practically made for each other.' Her eyes fell downcast, as a frown made it's way onto her pale face. Jealousy evident in her heart.

'No,' she shook, 'I shouldn't feel envy towards my sister finding love. Hawa deserves it..', shifting her gaze back to the red walls of the tent, her eyes glazed over, 'Besides, I am to become an Assassin, I will have no time for such pitiful things like love.' The girl bit her lip, thinking about how her mother would've scolded her for saying such things. Love was a powerful force that held two people together, but finding true love was scarce and rare.

As the thoughts seemed to consume her mind, the sudden movement of the tent flap snapped her out of her reverie.

Sharply twisting her upper body around, she saw a familiar hooded man standing there, his posture tense and alert,causing worry to wash over her. Rising up with the supports of her upper arms, she whispered hoarsely, "Altaïr?" The man looked up, his golden orbs were narrowed as always, but there was a hint of an emotion hidden behind his hard stare. Fear. Pulling herself up the female tilted her head at him, "What is wrong? Is there anything you need from me at such a late hour?" The male only remained tight lipped, causing the female to sigh in aggravation, running a hand through her slightly knotted mane.

"They're coming." Looking up, the female inquired, "And who are these people?" The male shook his head, roughly grabbing hold of her wrist and pulling her along with him, out into the chilly night. Lashay was confused, first he came to her at such an odd hour at night and now he's dragging her out into the cold without an explanation? She was about ready to break the assassin's nose with an uppercut to the face, but stopped when he gestured her to scale the wall before them, to which she begrudgingly did, him falling right after her.

Grabbing hold of the top, she hoisted her self up before lending a hand to the male, who froze at the sudden offer, but still accepting it with a somewhat confused gaze. With a grunt, she pulled the taller being up before dusting herself off with a huff. Her bare feet felt cold against stone wall, a harsh reminder on how she utterly forgot to put on her sandals or boots before she exited. Altaïr walked towards the end of the wall, standing dangerously close to the edge before he signalled her to join him.

"Now what is it that you wanted to show me? Or tell me?" She questioned softly, the slight breeze rustling her long hair. The assassin beside her pointed towards the horizon she had yet to look upon. "The Templars, they're coming for you." The girl blinked in confusion before shifting her gaze only to feel her jaw-drop and an inaudible gasp to escape her. Over the wall, a large army of armoured soldier were led by a man on a rather fine and strong looking stallion. The direction they were marching in was straight towards the silent camp.

Hand clenched into a fist, she spun around, ready to climb down the wall, only to be stopped by a warm hand on her shoulder. Altaïr's usually calm stare was narrowed into a harsh glare. "Did you not hear what I just said, woman? They are here for _**you**_. If you go down there, you'll be as good as dead.", with a deep breath her nails dug into her palm as her expression grew into one of frustration. "Then what do you expect me to do? To turn tail and run? Like a coward? I think not, assassin." her words dripped with venom, fury burning behind her once soft gaze. "I will not stand by and watch my family get slaughtered by some 'Templars', just because I'm not supposed to let them find me. I'd rather go down with a fight than be caught fleeing like a heartless fool."

The male loosened his grip on her shoulder, taking a step back, his glare replaced by his usual stare.

"If you wish to throw yourself into a fight you clearly cannot win in, than be my guest." The female huffed, ready to storm away from the infuriating male only to stop at his next words,

"However, I will not let you go alone. You, though not officially, are apart of the Brotherhood and it would not be right of me to let a Sister of the Creed fight alone."

An impish smile grew across her face, adrenaline rushing through her veins, "What're we waiting for, _brother_? Shall we teach those Templars a lesson for messing with the wrong people?", A slight smirk spread across the man's tanned features as he darted forward, leaping off the wall with grace, his words floating through the midnight air,

"It is our duty to the Creed to do as such, Lashay."

The female grinned, before she too, dived off the edge, only to land into a large pile of hay.

Gasping slightly as she shot out, she saw the smirking male standing there with his arms crossed, causing her to pout as she pulled herself out, muttering, "Couldn't you've helped me? Idiot." Altaïr made no move to retort at her comment as the duo speedily made their way towards the chief's tent to inform them of the coming danger.

But it seemed they were already too late.

The Templars had surrounded the area, forcing the sleeping caravan members to rise and stand out in the freezing wind. At the centre of it all, the old man and his son, Emir stood alongside Hawa and Asim, who both looked about ready to tear through the masses, without an ounce of fear in their eyes.

Though if the blonde female and the chance to question it, she would, but this was clearly not the time nor place to ask such a question. Altair had grabbed ahold of her upper arm, pulling her down behind some large boxes, before eavesdropping on the conversation.

"We know she is here! Hand her over and you will all be spared." The supposed head honcho yelled.

"We will not do such a thing, as you can see, she is not with us. We have no idea of what you speak of." Emir spoke clearly, as his grip on Hawa's hand , which Lashay just noticed, tightened noticeable. The leader laughed darkly, as he lifted up an object that was covered by a brown cloth, a very dim and barely visible glow was emitted from it, "Oh really now, oh foolish boy? This holy artefact says otherwise!" Unraveling the cloth, the man raised up spherical object, an orb of sorts that emitted a bright glow.

The orb itself was just a casing, the thing within it that emitted the glow was the true treasure. A golden ring, with engravings of unknown origins etched into the fine piece of jewellery. At the top of it sat a precious jewel of sorts, it's name unknown to the people who gaped openly at it.

Lashay suddenly felt every part of her grow numb. How could she possibly know what was inside that sphere? The light was blinding, yet she looked directly at it and could see right through it. A tug at her heart caused the sudden lack of sensation in her limbs to come rushing back at her. Whatever that 'artefact' was, it was pulling at her, calling to her if you would. The urge and need to take hold of the artefact and protect it from prying eyes overcame her being.

And she would've done exactly that if it weren't for the male beside her having a tight grip on her wrist, his eagle like gaze held a warning of sorts within it. It was a trap and he knew his silent message didn't seem to get through to the rambunctious vigilante. Her eyes were glazed over, as her mind was elsewhere.

Clicking his tongue, he knew this was a very bad situation for her to zone out in, but the girl had somehow managed to do so, all because of that stupid sphere.

Then it clicked.

Whatever was in that orb had seemingly possessed Lashay, trying to bait her out into the open area and leave her defenceless. Sighing slightly, he knew he was going to deeply regret his next action after this was all over, but it was the only way he could awaken her from her 'slumber'.Raising his hand, he slapped her, hard. Her eyes to widened, and lost the glazed expression, as she looked up at the assassin in shock before stuttering out, "What happened..?"

"You were being controlled by that 'thing', I thankfully snapped you out of it before you went strolling over to your death bed." Was his simple and curt reply.

She swallowed thickly before looking back at the scene, this time ignoring the light that seemingly called to her. "What is our plan of action?" The male huffed, "There is no plan, we will have to go in headfirst." The female stared at him incredulously, "You can't be serious! I am literally unarmed, is there no other way to take them down then running in like mindless animals on the hunt?"

Her sudden outburst caught the attention of the leader, "Over there! They're hiding behind those crates." Altaïr cursed at his luck, of course the girl had to yell in the most risky situation. Pulling himself and Lashay up, he handed her a throwing knife, "Make use of this and see if you can grab ahold of any of their weapons to use as your own. It seems we will have to go with my plan after all." There was a slight smugness to his tone, but the platinum blonde chose to ignore it, for now as she leaped over the crates, slashing at the unarmored Templar that had come to retrieve them, before stabbing him directly in the heart.

The man beside the fallen knight immediately yelled, "Assassins!" Only to be silenced by Altaïr's hidden blade meeting his throats. The male gagged and coughed blood, before Altair forcefully shoved him back while removing the blade. Lashay grabbed hold of the short sword that was on the first male before taking on a rather decent swords stance, ready for any incoming attack.

The leader from earlier growled in anger before barking out orders, "Kill the assassin and get the girl. I want her alive." Thus began the never-ending waves on armoured men and the onslaught of dread. Altaïr easily held up on his own, he was after all, a trained Master Assassin. However his female counterpart struggled to keep up and maintain her stance. She was used to the simple city guards, not trained knights who's only goal at the moment was to capture her. She hacked and slashed, slaying anything and everything that crossed her path. Though her offence was ruthless and unyielding her defence was sloppy leading to the amount of cuts and bruises that soon began to litter her pale skin in return of her carelessness.

Her feet grew numb under the cold wind, her movements becoming slower and more anticipated.

She was bleeding and badly at that, the cut across her lip stung achingly, her muscles tired and worn from the sudden usage of strength, around her, the able bodied helped fight in pushing back. Hell, she saw Asim and Hawa put up a much better fight than she herself did. A tired smile bloomed upon her wary features, but as she did that, she had yet to realise her guard had been lowered, allowing a man to sneak up behind her, a large boulder in hand.

As Altaïr freely dodged, his gaze shifted slightly to check on his ward, only to see her weakened state and the man standing behind her, and without even realising it, he had yelled out her name,

"Lashay!"

The said girl turned around only to be met with a boulder being smashed into her face, causing her to stumble back, loosing the grip on her short sword and tumbling onto her bottom. Vision hazed she feebly attempted to crawl away only to be stopped by a foot slamming down on her chest, causing a pained gasp to escape her. The last thing she saw was the male lifting the boulder once again, to smash down onto her head and a sudden blur of white.

"Lashay!"

* * *

System override

Subject has been pulled out of sequence.

"Too much drama in one day, don't you think, Guardian?"

* * *

"Raven."

A gruff voice called to her causing the female to weakly open her eyes, blindly adjusting to her surroundings once again. She was back here again, possibly had fallen asleep, she mused. Turning her head her eyes grew wide by a slight fraction, before her was the assassin from before. "Altaïr?" She softy called out, to which the male nodded in response. "You had us worried again, Tubais said you had awakened earlier and when we came to check on you, you were out cold with a slight fever and wouldn't wake up, no matter how many times we called you."

Rustling her hair slightly, she sat up in the bed, eyes downcast in thought, "I see and who do you mean by 'we'?" Memories of this life slammed into her mind, though the only figures she could make out was her brother,Tubais, her sister , Jessica (who oddly enough looked exactly like Hawa and Asim) and Altair. In other memories, the figures were just black shadows, their faces were like static that continuously flickered in her mind.

The Syrian male stared at her for a moment, a flash of worry seemingly fleeting across his gaze, "Do you not remember, Raven? There's a group consisting of you, myself and-" Though his mouth seemed to moving, the words he was supposedly saying were not audible to her ears, causing her to tilt her head as the male seemingly finished, "Do you remember now?" The female shook her and asked him to repeat again, only to get the same result.

Just as the golden eyed male was about to seriously question her, the room door suddenly burst a male who's face was seemingly containing that familiar static like the ones in her rather hazy memories. "Raven! Bella, is she awake?" Though the voice was distorted, it held a clear accent to it, possibly..Italian?

Her mind began to spin just as Altair spoke, "Can't you see that she is E-"

Darkness consumed her vision, 'Oh boy, here we go again.' The female thought dully before passing out, a knowing voice reverberating within the depths of her mind, "I **n due time, you will learn the truth, Raven. Or should I call you** _ **Alessandra**_ **now**?"

* * *

Loading new sequence

Preparing subject for the next time line

A smile spread across the being's face, their watchful gaze never leaving the screen,

" **Next stop,** _ **Rome**_ **, Italy.** "


	4. Missing Link

_Sequence initiated_

 _Load complete_

* * *

The smell of smoke was fresh in the air as day broke, wary minds awoken by silence of the dreary dawn. An armoured hand pushed the flap of the tent open, as they pulled out, helmet held securely to their side with the free hand. Hushed voices of greeting spread throughout the camp as the groggy men awoke. The armour clad warrior simply smiled as their nose and cheeks turned a paled shade of rosy pink from being nipped at by the cold morning air.

Moving to step forward, the soldiers seemed to notice their presence almost immediately, respectfully nodding their heads in greeting to one of their commanding officers, "Lady Alessandra, you are awake early.", Valentino, the captain of the last patrol spoke as he and his men returned with heavy footsteps, their fatigue evident, but they did their best to stand tall in the presence of the second in command. "Relax boys, I will not chew you out over being tired, you have done your job and will receive the much needed rest when we return to Roma." Her gentle tone matched her sweet features; Ash brown hair tucked into a neat side braid, skin lightly bronzed from the tedious training out in the smouldering sun, small plump lips pulled into a kind smile, a cute button like nose and her almond shaped eyes, tinted a tantalising hazel green.

Overall the perfect Italian beauty,

only if it weren't for the fact she wore full body armour instead of a snug fitting dress.

The men in the camp simply admired her soft side as they knew the moment they set out, her mercy would drop from 100 to 0 in a matter of seconds, though gentle in her ways, she was a hard woman,

After all, she was an Accardo; Roma and Italia's strongest knights.

Though women were looked down upon and tasks such as fighting were supposedly only a men's ideal, the Accardo women are known for their pride and ability to take control of any situations,

Thus they were treated as equals through and through, they learned basic etiquette of course, how to read, how to write, multiple languages that would surely come in use to them as time would pass, but these were basic things any female of higher standing were taught, the only difference with them was that they were taught to fight, to lead, to protect.

Alessandra Accardo da Roma was no exception and neither was her sister.

"Sorella, Andrea wants to speak with you." A strong voice called out to her. With a sharp about turn, her older sister, Luciana came striding out of the tent she previously resided in, much like herself, Luciana wore armour, however her's was more form fitting, more feminine, but still something that could strike fear into their enemies with the bare glance at the crest that held up her pristine white cape. The female had stormy grey eyes, taking after their father, she had many similar traits in appearance to her sister, with the exception of her hair being a more auburn hue.

The younger female simply nodded, making her way back into the tent where her commander and older brother resided, but not before resting a hand on her older sister's shoulder, a smile was exchanged between the two before she disappeared one again through the opening of the temporary base.

"You called fratello?", the male who was currently strapping on his gauntlets nodded quickly, "Yes little one, but uh just a moment, per favore." The man almost comically hopped around in attempt to pull on his armoured boots, his sister simply covering her mouth to bite back the laughter that threatened to tumble out.

Sighing in relief the man stood tall, his matching ashen locks was quickly combed out with his hand as he pulled on a large grin, "You ready to get home?" The female nodded in response, "Si, it's been so long..but you do know that-" the male cut her off with a careless wave of his hand, "I've had that problem settled Alessandra, do not worry about the details, for now I need to tell you the plan for our grand arrival."

By tradition, with every victory the Acardo knights brought, they'd return home with heads held high, an air of pride to them as they waved their red flags of victory and white ones for the coming peace to follow. Usually the second in commands would ride out at early dawn to reach the great city by noon but from the west, while the army itself would ride in from the East after the news would be brought in.

"Now I have sent a messenger bird to deliver the notice of our arrival, you know the drill." The female nodded in return, "It will be done."

"Then saddle up and head out, Luciana will join you shortly with the flags."

"Un-"

* * *

 _Sequence corrupted_

 _Attempting patchin-_

 _" •? ȼąɲ ¥ǿµ ɦƹąř ʍƹ? ؟• "_

 _" • w3 d0n'7 h4v3 mu(h 7!m3 •"_

 _" •nsʇ pou'ʇ qǝן!ǝʌǝ ɐuʎʇɥ!uƃ ɐuʎouǝ sɐʎs dןǝɐsǝ, ʍǝ'ןן ƃǝʇ ʎ-؟• "_

 _Third part content detected_

 _Sequence disabled_

* * *

 **"Now who is messing with my little game?"**

 **"Leave this place,**

 _ **j** ሀ **ռ** ፀ_."


End file.
